Episode 208: Comfort Food
}} Ned brings back to life Colonel Likkin, who was mysteriously deep fried to death. His world-famous original recipe has gone missing and Likken asks Ned to find who stole it. Synopsis The Past At the Longborough School for Boys, Young Ned went to the school's kitchen and secretly made pies to eat. Eugene Mulchandani discovered him and joined in with the pie eating. Then more boys smelled the pies and come to investigate. Ned soon found himself making pies for everyone and the party began. However, a teacher eventually put an end to it as Ned learned the consequences of his actions. The Present At the cemetery, Chuck and Ned open Charles Charles' coffin and they argue over who gets the first thirty seconds. Chuck finally forces Ned to go first. Ned brings Charles Charles back to life and asks him if Dwight Dixon is dangerous. Charles Charles confirms that Dwight is dangerous, but that as long as Dwight has the watch he won't say anything in return for their silence. Chuck then takes over as Ned goes to the cemetery gate and counts thirty seconds. Later, Chuck and Ned are sleeping together (with plastic sheeting for protection), and Chuck slips away. Vivian is waiting for Dwight Dixon to arrive for their date but he's nowhere to be seen. She's unaware that Lily had chased him away. Meanwhile, Lily is in Dwight Dixon's hotel room at the Come and Sleep Hotel, armed and waiting for him to return. Dwight enters and Lily reveals she has Charles Charles' watch, and tells him he's going to put it back after telling her the real story. Dwight talks about his "childhood" while reaching for a hidden pistol… and Lily wakes up from her dream of shooting him dead. She leaves him a note telling him to come to the cemetery if he wants the watch. The next morning, Ned is at the Pie Hole and says he's going to skip the annual Comfort Food Cook-Off so he can be with Chuck as she deals with the shock of meeting her dead father and saying goodbye again. Chuck isn't particularly upset, although she admits it was hard. She says she has a lot to tell him and will do so tonight. She then convinces him to go to the Cook-Off with Olive. "She'll love you for it." Ned gives in and goes to the Cook-Off with Olive. Olive insists it's their year to win since they were beaten last time by Muffin Buffalo, run by muffin maker Marianne Marie Beetle. Leo Burns, the new Comfort Food Cook-Off Coordinator, comes over on his personal scooter and introduces himself. Leo Burns notes that Colonel Likkin has been the winner the last fifteen years and will be tough to beat. Leo says he's a big fan of the Pie Hole and will be rooting for them. Marianne comes over and trash talks them, and Olive notes that two years ago someone sabotaged their oven. Chuck goes to Ned's old house and says hello to her father, seated in a chair. Her secret is that when Ned gave her 30 seconds with her father, she gave him the wallet she made as a birthday present. She then put a glove on her father's hand and told him to play dead. Ned unknowingly touched the gloved hand in the dark and Chuck quickly closed the coffin. Later, she came back and took him to Ned's old home and bandaged him up. He asks about how it all works and how they can be together in life. She talks about her bees and he wonders if there's a catch. She admits that there is and promises to tell him about it that night. Emerson Cod is in his office enjoying coffee when Chuck comes in and explains what happened with her father. She admits she used Ned and gave in to her to impulse, and wonders who died when her father remained alive. Emerson reluctantly agrees to help. Olive and Ned are making pies while Marianne taunts them. They're interrupted when there's a scream and Colonel Likkin's wife runs out of his booth. Ned goes in to investigate and finds Colonel Likkin deep-fried to death. Ned says it looked like Likkin fell into his own deep-frying vat after a heart attack and his wife notes that his secret recipe died with him. She wishes she had him back for just one minute to get the recipe. Ned asks Olive to distract the paramedics while he looks around. Olive smears frosting on her face to make it look like she's bleeding and screams. Ned goes back into the booth and brings Colonel Likkin back to life. He agrees to give Ned the recipe but it's going to take more than 60 seconds. When Ned mentions that he thinks the Colonel died of a heart attack, Likkin says someone snuck up behind him and shoved him in the oil: he was murdered. Likkin had the recipe in his jacket pocket but realizes it's gone, presumably stolen by the killer. Likkin tries a bit of himself and Ned hastily returns him to death. At Emerson's office, Chuck says it's not keeping her father alive that she regrets, but her dishonesty with Ned and the cost of another life. She wonders if no one died since it was the middle of the night, but Emerson points out that it isn't a "sometimes" rules. Emerson tells her she can't keep the news about her father from Ned any longer and agrees to find the body. Mrs. Likkin declares the Cook-Off will continue just like her husband would have wanted. Olive is happy that their chances of winning have gone up until Ned says that Likkin was murdered. She wonders how he knew that and Ned claims he's learned deduction from Emerson. He wants to investigate and have Olive help him. She's thrilled to help but notices their oven is smoking. Their pies are destroyed and Olive believes Marianne was responsible. However, Ned suspects the Colonel's killer. Chuck and Emerson go to the cemetery and Emerson finds the victim: Dwight Dixon. They find a sniper rifle that Dwight had lined up on Charles Charles' grave. The facts are that after Dwight discovered the watch was missing, he followed Chuck to the graveyard, figuring she was going to return it to the grave. He lined up his shot but saw Ned and Chuck seemingly desecrating Charles Charles' grave. Before he could kill them, 61 seconds passed and he dropped dead. Emerson and Chuck drag him to Charles Charles' grave and Emerson goes to get a shovel… and Dwight looks up and speaks to Chuck. Ned insists they stay in the contest as cover so they can investigate the murder. Ned points out the saboteur stole everything they need to make pies. Vivian arrives, crying, and mentions that the Pie Hole was closed. Vivian says it's Lily's fault that Dwight Dixon left her. Olive takes her outside and Vivian apologizes for keeping her from Ned, but Olive claims she isn't romantically interested in Ned. Vivian doesn't believe it. She tells Olive to tell Dwight she's looking for him. Ned finds maple syrup in the sabotaged oven, and realizes it can belong to only one person: the Waffle Nazi. Chuck realizes that Dwight talking is just her guilty conscience. He chides her for not telling Ned. Emerson is confused but Chuck insists her conscience is clear and starts shoveling… quickly. Olive and Ned sneak into the Waffle Nazi's booth and Olive talks about how unlikely it is that they could be romantically involved. Ned finds batter made with the Colonel's secret recipe. The Waffle Nazi arrives with Marianne and the Nazi accuses them of sabotaging his waffle irons, showing them the severed cord. Ned accuses him of murder. The Waffle Nazi explains he and Likkin were going to be partners and start a chicken-and-waffles franchise. Leo Burns arrives and demands an explanation, then disqualifies the Pie Hole. Chuck and Emerson finish burying Dwight but Chuck wants someone to say a few words. Emerson does so and then Lily arrives, toting a shotgun. Chuck hides. Lily tells Emerson she's waiting for Dwight and takes a seat while he makes a hasty exit. Ned and Olive pack up their cooking equipment and Ned wonders why Chuck isn't at the Pie Hole. He suggests they sneak over to Likkin's booth for one last reconnaissance. They get in and notice sprinkles, but Olive discovers it's actually cheap jewelry that was left there by the killer. They're unaware that someone is sneaking up on them and knocks them unconscious: Marianne. Olive and Ned wake up in a trunk. They quickly break free and see Marianne, who is wearing cheap plastic earrings. They accuse her of murder but she thinks they're trying to kill her. They figure out she's the saboteur and Marianne admits she's desperate to win. Leo Burns arrives and disqualifies Marianne and bans the Pie Holers for life. However, Ned notices scooter tracks on the Likkin booth's floor and realizes Leo is the killer. Leo points out their story will never hold up but Ned finds the Colonel's secret recipe on Leo. The facts were these: Leo was originally slender but lonely and drowned his sorrows with Colonel Likkin's Southern Fried Chicken. He put on weight and took to a scooter. He vowed to destroy the Colonel and shoved Likkin into his deep-frying vat. Leo decided to keep the recipe… the recipe that incriminated him. Since Leo never reported their disqualification, Olive reveals she brought an icebox lemon pie. With 20 seconds to spare, Olive and Marianne race for their comfort foods and Olive takes the lead by borrowing Leo's scooter. She gets there just in time and the Pie Hole takes first place. Mrs. Likkin has her husband's recipe and plans to go into business with a doughnut store owner. Everyone but Marianne applauds and Ned takes Olive's hand and holds it up in triumph. Olive thinks of herself singing in triumph… and is rudely awakened when Ned admits that he figures Dwight may be up to something. He goes to look for Chuck, leaving a saddened Olive behind… until he remembers to offer his congratulations to her. Ned goes to see Vivian and Lily and asks them if they know where Dwight is. Vivian says they don't. They look across the street and notice someone in the window of Ned's old house. Ned runs over and finds himself face-to-face with Chuck and her heavily bandaged father. Additional Info Musical Numbers * Olive sings "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles in this episode. Trivia * Though the neon sign says 'Come and Sleep Hotel', the notepad on which Lily leaves her note is imprinted with the words 'Come and Sleep Motel'. Crossover * This episode is a crossover with Bryan Fuller's previous series, Wonderfalls: Beth Grant reprises her role as Marianne Marie Beetle from the episode "Muffin Buffalo". Cast Regulars *Lee Pace: Ned *Anna Friel: Charlotte "Chuck" Charles *Chi McBride: Emerson Cod *Jim Dale: The Narrator *Field Cate: Young Ned *Ellen Greene: Vivian Charles *Swoosie Kurtz: Lily Charles *Kristin Chenoweth: Olive Snook Guest starring * Josh Randall: Charles Charles * Tim Bagley: Colonel Likkin * Patrick Fischler: Waffle Nazi * Beth Grant: Marianne Marie Beetle * Eric Stonestreet: Leo Burns * Stephen Root: Dwight Dixon Co-Starring * Daeg Faerch: Ingmar Todd * Hugh Holub: Judge * Nicholas Khayyat: Eugene Mulchandani * Joleen Lutz: The Widow Likkin |next= }} __NOEDITSECTION__ Category:Episodes Category:Season 2 Category:Musical episodes